1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of chip on board (COB) and surface mount technology (SMT) memory cards, and particularly to a method and apparatus for manufacturing memory cards with a robust write-protect device to protect the host device against possible damage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As computers have gained enormous popularity in recent decades, so has the need for better and more efficient ways of storing memory. Notable among memory devices are the portable ones such as memory cards that may be carried around by the user to access their information at different locations. For other electronic devices such as iPods, Personal Digital Assistants (PDA), Digital cameras/camcorders, and cellular phones, memory cards are also used for storing of information. This is particularly common in the case of personal computers (PC) where the need often arises to transfer data from one PC to another. Examples of portable memory devices include nonvolatile memory devices such as secure digital cards (SD) that are removably connectible to a computer.
Conventional prior art memory cards provide both write-protect and read-write functionalities by sliding a male switch in a female slot or by sliding a female switch on a male guide. However, in the conventional designs of the memory cards, the switch may fall into the host device to which the memory card is coupled, and cause damage or jam the memory card slot. It is important that the write-protect device, in order to protect the host device from being damaged, be more robust than current switches, as exhibited by the various embodiments of the present invention. In addition, most users in practice use the memory card in the read-write mode, and rarely switch over to the write-protect mode.
Thus, it is desirable to manufacture a write-protectable memory card that is robust enough to withstand extensive use without damaging the host device or jamming the memory card slot thereof. In addition, the memory card should have a low cost of manufacturing, with an improved esthetic quality to appeal to a wide range of potential users.